The invention generally relates to blinds for use in motor vehicles.
From DE 100 005 970, which is not prior-published, a side window for motor vehicles is known. A winding shaft on which an edge of a roller blind material is fastened is rotatably supported between the body work outer skin and the inner lining. The roller blind can be drawn out through a slot in the window. In the drawn-out state or position, the blind material is nearly congruent with the window.
An electric motor with the aid of pulling or pushing members which engage on the front edge of the blind material actuates the roller blind. The front edge of the roller blind material refers to the edge which, when looked at from the curvature corresponding to the window form, extends essentially parallel to the winding shaft.
Because of the arrangement of the actuating members for the roller blind, which in the rolling out of the blind material come out of the respective slot in the window embrasure, the slot must be relatively wide.
Even if the slot only has a width corresponding to the width a reinforcing strip on the front edge of the blind material, the slot remains open over a broad range when the roller blind is pulled or rolled in. Because of the curvature of the front edge of the blind material which is fitted to the corresponding edge of the window, a substantial part of the front edge of the blind material disappears under the slot edge, while only a small range is filled out by the front edge and the reinforcing strip.
The open slot is not only unsightly, but it also involves certain hazards with regard to potential injuries to children should they stick their fingers into the open slot. Furthermore, relatively large objects can fall into the hollow space of the body work between the outer metal plate and the inner lining.
Accordingly, in view of the foregoing, an object of the invention is to provide a motor vehicle having a slot through which a side window blind can be deployed that is at least substantially closed.
With the side window blind of the present invention, a slot in the window frame is provided in a known manner, over which a connection to a hollow space in the vehicle body work is present. A blind material is stored in the hollow space when not in use. The blind material is provided with a front edge, the contour of which corresponds to the contour which the window frame has in the area that lies opposite the slot.
In order to substantially close the slot when not in use, a covering strip is arranged on the front edge of the blind material. With the blind rolled out, the covering strip follows the course of the front edge, i.e. attaches itself to this front edge, while with the blind rolled in, the covering strip is lifted off section-wise from the front edge in order to substantially close the slot.
During movement of the blind material into the hollow space, the covering strip is correspondingly lifted off from the front edge in order to close the slot.
The window frame in which the slot is located can be located at the lower end of the side window pane. This arrangement is preferred when the window is the window of a side door. Another possibility is to accommodate the slot in a window frame running about vertically, for example in a B-column, an arrangement which can be used advantageously in two-door vehicles when the B-column runs straight in the window area.
The slot through which the blind material moves when it is moved or rolled in and out can be combined with the slot through which the pane also runs, if it is a lowerable pane.
A mechanism is provided in order to fix the covering strip reliably on the front edge in the deployed or rolled-out position. This mechanism can be formed by the cover strip itself or by another mechanism on the cover strip or on the front edge. If the mechanism is formed by the cover strip itself, it can comprise a strongly spring-burdened cover strip which, by reason of its own curvature, tends to follow the contour of the front edge of the blind material. During the retraction of the blind material, the cover strip is necessarily converted into a more or less stretched form.
Another possibility for holding the cover strip fast on the front edge lies in using a pulling mechanism in order to draw the cover strip onto the front edge. Such a mechanism can be useful especially if the cover strip consists of a relatively soft plastic material which provides only a slight recoil force. The pulling mechanism can comprise at least one pulling member which engages on at least one end of the cover strip. The pulling mechanism itself can be elastically stretchable or, if it is elastically unstretchable, acted upon with a draw spring.
The shape of the front edge governs the number of pull members that is necessary. If the highest point of the blind material arises beside one side, the cover strip is rigidly joined with the front edge in this point. Only its other end is movable and must be drawn by the pull member onto the front edge. If the highest point of the front edge lies remote from the two side edges, the cover strip is fastened to the cover to the cover strip occurs at this point. It is then necessary to draw both ends of the cover strip onto the front edge with, in each case their own pull mechanism.
The securing of the cover strip on the front edge of the blind material can also occur without elastic members, for example with the aid of magnets. These magnets can be individual magnets separated from one another, or the cover strip can be made entirely from a plastic that is filled with ferromagnetic material, similar to the sealing strips of refrigerators. This arrangement has the advantage that the cover strip is automatically held firmly to the front edge of the blind material, when this consists of a corresponding ferromagnetic material. With the blind drawn in, the cover strip is held firmly on the window strip, for which purpose the latter likewise preferably consists of ferromagnetic material.
The length of the cover strip is governed according to the importance of the slot length which, with a retracted blind, is not filled out by the reinforcing strip on the front edge of the blind material because of the curvature of that front edge.
Aside from the fact that a part of the slot could also be filled out by the front edge of the blind material, it is preferable, for visual reasons, if the cover strip nevertheless has a length such that the slot is covered over its entire length.
In order to achieve the desired automatic lifting-off of the cover strip from the blind material, the cover strip is at least wider than the slot. The arrangement can be made in such manner that the cover strip overhangs one of the slot edges over its entire length. This arrangement is preferable if the same slot is used for the lowerable side pane and the blind material.
It is possible, however, to let the cover strip cover both slot edges. This is preferable in the case of rigid-side panes or, when there is space enough for the lowerable side pane and the side window roller blind to have two separate slots which run adjacent to one another.
If the blind material consists of a material that also can be wound with a small radius, a winding shaft on which the blind material is wound can be mounted in the hollow space. Instead of directly winding the blind material itself, the blind material can be provided on its rear edge with bands or cords which are wound onto narrow band or cord disks. The blind material itself in this case remains stretched. Such an arrangement is advantageous in the case of rigid side panes when the slot does not run straight with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
For the actuation of the blind material, i.e. for retracting the blind, a spring arrangement is provided, with the aid of which the blind material can be retracted into the hollow space. Such an arrangement is preferable when a manually operable side window blind is provided which is driven or drawn out by the grasping of a hand grip on the front edge or of the cover strip.
In the case of the remote-controllable side window roller blind, the combination of a spring drive and an electric-motor drive is preferable. With the aid of the spring drive, the blind material is held taut, while the electric-motor drive prescribes the desired position of the blind material. With this arrangement the same results are achieved, regardless of whether the spring drive cooperates with the rear edge or the under edge of the blind material while the electric-motor drive acts on its front edge, or, if kinematically reversed, the electric motor acts on the rear edge of the blind material, which remains constantly in the hollow space.
The deployment or drawing out of the blind material can occur by thrust members, or with the aid of a gallows-like construction such as is shown in DE 100 005 970.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent upon reading the following description of exemplary embodiments of the invention and upon reference to the drawings wherein: